10th Florida Panther Dies After Vehicle Collision
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FORT MYERS (CBSMiami) — For the second time in two days, an endangered Florida panther has been killed by a car.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the cat's carcass was found Sunday March 8th on County Road 951 in Collier County.
It was a two and a half year old male.
The carcass is at the FWC Naples Field Office and will be sent to the FWC Gainesville lab for necropsy.
This is the 10th Florida panther mortality and the 8th road mortality for 2015.
An 18-month-old panther was found dead on Saturday, March 7th on Interstate 75 in Lee County.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says these were the ninth and 10th Florida panthers to be killed this year, and the seventh and eighth to be killed by a car.
In 2014, a record 33 panthers were killed, 25 of them on state highways.
In the late 70's and early 80's, there were only a few dozen Florida panthers left in the wild but today there are nearly 160.
They are shy and elusive animals. Younger cats are forced to travel long distances because their habitat is saturated with dominant males.
In the process of fleeing to establish their own territory, some are killed in collisions with cars or trucks.
Florida residents can support panther conservation efforts by purchasing a Protect the Panther license plate, available at BuyAPlate.com. Fees from license plate sales are the primary funding source for the FWC's research and management of Florida panthers.
To report dead or injured panthers, call the FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or #FWC or *FWC on a cell phone.
For more information on Florida panthers go to FloridaPantherNet.org.
